Success Stories at Australia Awards Live Streaming Event

AIYA Jakarta held an Australia Awards Scholarship Information Session at the Australia Awards Indonesian Office in Jakarta last week, which was successfully live streamed to simultaneous events organised by AIYA Yogyakarta and AIYA Jawa Barat. The information session was followed by a Q&A panel of Australia Awards alumni to offer attendees insights on how to further their studies in Australia, along with real life experiences on their lives Down Under. AIYA Yogyakarta hosted their event in collaboration with the English Faculty at Universitas Sanata Dharma, while AIYA Jawa Barat hosted theirs among the soothing aromas of the Bamboo Shack Café in Bandung.

The Australia Awards are prestigious international scholarships and fellowships funded by the Australian Government. They offer the next generation of global leaders an opportunity to undertake study, research and professional development in Australia and for high-achieving Australians to do the same overseas. Firstly, an information session presented by Pak Lubendik Sigalingging and facilitated by AIYA Jakarta was live streamed to locations in Bandung and Yogyakarta. Pak Lubendik, a current researcher associate at The Indonesian Institute, explained the process of applying for Australia Awards and priority study fields, and provided tips for prospective applicants. Pak Lubendik highlighted that women, those with disabilities and specific geographic areas such as Aceh, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, West Papua and Papua are particularly encouraged to apply. Having recently completed his Master of International Studies from University of Queensland, he also shared stories of his time in Australia.

Pak Lubendik Sigalingging. Photo: AIYA Jakarta

Following the live stream from AIYA Jakarta, attendees in their respective cities heard from, and posed questions to a panel of Australia Awards alumni. Many of the questions focused on individual situations, however alumni responses echoed similar sentiments: passion and drive do not go unnoticed in applications.

At the Yogyakarta information session, Pak Sudi Mungkasi, a Sanata Dharma Unjversity academic and Australian National University alumnus, in addition to stressing the importance of support from family and friends, provided some key pointers for prospective applicants. Pak Sudi emphasised the importance of polishing one’s English language skills, making prior contact with supervisor candidates and approaching the application as a serious endeavour.

Animated and engaged panel members in Yogyakarta. Photo: AIYA Yogyakarta

Overall, the seminar attendees were particularly interested in and grateful for the information they received on the night in relation to the potential for success with the scholarship. They renewed their enthusiasm towards their applications and attained the aim of scoping their ‘upper edge’. Some feedback from the night includes:

Reno (Masters in Public Education Policy, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta): I think this event was useful and helped us greatly. I received a lot of information from this agenda about how to get a scholarship for Australia Awards. It really helped me!

Ibnu Sasongko (Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta): This event helped me to prepare my Australia Awards application. I was able to learn from the alumni about the Australia Awards, and now I just want to live on campus in Australia!